Affordable Sound: TOP in-ear headphones under $20

There has been no doubt about the quality of Sony products for a long time, it always corresponds to the cost, and sometimes exceeds it. MDR-E9LP headphones fully confirm this rule. The $7 earbuds look and sound like you'd expect, being realistic.

Available in 4 colours: black, white-grey, blue and pink. You can easily match the colour of the player, phone, tablet. They sit in different ears in different ways, depending on the characteristics of the sink, for greater comfort they are equipped with a pair of foam ear pads.

A round wire with an L-shaped plug is not the most durable, plus it does not oak in the cold. Disadvantages, in general, are expected for such a cost, so they are not critical.

You can't talk on the phone with headphones, they are intended only for listening. Along with the microphone, there is also no remote control, so you will have to manage files only from the playback device. The sound is legible, especially in the middle range and at medium volume, but it is worth adding "power", there is a rattle at high, and low, which are already present very conditionally, turn into squelching.

Optimists will say that the MDR-E9LP sound reminds them of the vintage sound of the 70s, close to vinyl, only without the characteristic crackle of a needle, and realists — that you can't fully listen to music in these headphones, only audiobooks, radio and watch videos, which, in principle, is usually enough for most users.

In general, an unassuming listener and a non-lover will have to talk for a long time on the phone MDR-E9LP will be just right. For $7, you can hardly think of a better one.

The Chinese flagship for the production of mobile smartphones and gadgets Huawei is haunted by the fame of its American competitor Apple. Huawei is trying to imitate the design of Apple gadgets in its products, and the AM115 headphones are another proof of this, since they look very similar to EarPods, although not so elegant.

Otherwise, the Chinese model is no worse and even better, given the democratic cost of $ 8.It is equipped with a durable 1.2 m long round wire with a straight plug and a remote control that allows you to switch between tracks, adjust the volume, and call a voice assistant. The built-in microphone makes it possible to use headphones as a headset.

The sound characteristics are not outstanding, but to say that the sound in the AM115 is worse than in the EarPods would be untrue. The frequency response is tuned to the voice, the midrange is worked out quite accurately, the low ones are failed, the high ones are slightly crushed at the peaks, but, in general, the sound stage is passable, especially for listening to radio, audiobooks, lectures, watching videos.

Thanks to the democratic cost, Huawei continues to successfully occupy a niche of products alternative to Apple. After all, AM115 will surely be bought by EarPods fans who are not ready to pay 4 times more for the original.

The Japanese brand Panasonic is famous for the quality of its audio equipment, so we could not pass by, albeit low-cost, but branded headphones RP-TCM55. For just $ 10, the manufacturer offers a headset with good sound for every day.

The model can only be purchased in white or black. There are no bright colours, which for young people can become an obstacle to buying. The headphones sit comfortably in the ear, do not fall out with sudden movements of the head, but it is definitely impossible to run in them. The quality of execution is high, you can only find fault with a thin cable, but it will not be easy to break it by accident.

The design of the earphone implies a denser bass sound than in conventional earbuds (Bass Boost Design), although this characteristic is rather conditional. Nevertheless, low frequencies are present in the overall scene, and this is already a success for such a low-cost. In general, the sound is balanced over the entire frequency range (10 – 24000 Hz), but you can't call it rich and timbral rich even after setting up the equalizer in the player.

To control calls and rewind tracks, the RP-TCM55 has a neat remote control on the cable. The microphone removes the voice well, you can talk in hands free mode without much discomfort. The headphones are compatible with any Android, Apple, Blackberry, Nokia devices with a 3.5 mm slot.

As a result, we have a simple and balanced wired stereo headset from the Japanese flagship audio equipment at a very affordable price.

The SHQ1400 headphones from Philips will be of interest, first of all, to people with an active lifestyle. The model is positioned as a sports one, as indicated by the ear arches.

The advantages of the SHQ1400 do not end there, but only begin. The model is offered in several colours, quite iridescent, attracting attention, has protection from moisture and sweat IPX4 and a cable reinforced with Kevlar threads. In general, everything you need for Spartan conditions. Three pairs of complete inserts made of soft rubber (standard, with hooks and shackles) will help to achieve the strongest fixation on the ear, but it is worth considering that discomfort may arise from long wearing, it all depends on the features of the structure of the auricle. So, before buying headphones, it is better to hold them in your ears for a while.

Despite the wide frequency range of 15 – 22,000 Hz, the frequency response in the SHQ1400 failed at low. Actually, there are almost no basses in them. But the middle and the top are well worked out. Synthpop, pop, instrumental compositions, soundtracks sound good. Lovers of deep elastic bass pass by.

Headphones are not provided for use as a headset, they do not have a remote control or a built-in microphone, and this, to put it mildly, is inconvenient and incomprehensible, because the option is essentially a penny, and is clearly absent not for the sake of economy. But there is a clip for attaching the wire to the clothes. On the run, or in crowded transport, the thing is quite convenient.

Philips SHQ1400 is a good sports headphones at an affordable price of $14 for those who are not confused by the lack of headset function. The main thing is that they come up.

Although the flagship killer from Xiaomi did not work out, the brand has learned to do "excellent" products close in quality to top-end products at a more affordable price. An example of this is Mi Half In—Ear — in—ear headphones that look like the famous Apple EarPods with Remote and Mic Price from 589 up to 1 560 ₴. The similarity is remote, but the form factor is recognizable, and the price of $20 makes the Chinese model in demand.

The headphones are available in white or black. They are equipped with a dense round wire of 1.25 m, which is not prone to tangling and does not lose elasticity at low temperatures. Fitting into the auricle is convenient for most users, not too tight, but not tiring with prolonged use.

Mi Half In-Ear is certified as headphones with Hi Res Audio support. That is, they fully reveal the sound of loseless file formats, and the extended frequency range of 20 – 40,000 Hz and dynamic coils with a ceramic diaphragm are responsible for detailing. The sound is really clean and detailed, but there is a slight dip in the lower range, the bass is accented, but not deep.

It should be noted that the most fully Hi-Res sound is revealed on Xiaomi devices when the Mi Sound option is enabled.

The headphones also function as a headset, for this they have an electromechanical microphone built into the control panel, which provides good voice transmission. There are also 3 buttons on the remote for switching tracks, volume control, accepting/resetting a call. The remote control may not work with all devices of other brands. You need to check compatibility before buying.

Summarizing, let's say that Xiaomi Mi Half In-Ear headphones are priced. With a clean sound, good ergonomics, high-quality performance. The purchase will definitely not disappoint the adherents of the brand, and it is unlikely that there will be something better for such money.

The flagship of the JBL portable sound has always emphasized the presence of a powerful elastic bass in its devices. It is also claimed in T205 in-ear headphones for $20. But since the opinions of users about the good bass sound in this model were divided, we decided to find out on our own how the situation really is.

Let's start in order, with the appearance and ergonomics. Headphones are offered in 4 colour combinations, as they say, for every taste. The main colours are white and black, but metallized inserts can be bronze, gilded, aluminium, steel. In addition to the letter indication of the left and right headphones, there is also a colour one.

Special attention should be paid to a standard length 1.2 m flat cable with a plug at 45 °, resistant to tangling. There is a one-button remote control on the cable for receiving /resetting calls and switching tracks, but it does not fully work with every device, you need to try. For example, on some Samsung smartphones, tracks do not switch and voice control cannot be called.

Sound… It's good for $20 headphones. You can guess the trademark sound of JBL and the "efforts" of Pure Bass technology, but to hear all the details of the scene, you need to listen to the headphones in a quiet room and shove the speakers deeper into the ear. Anyway, their sound is more interesting than in EarPods, wider in frequency response, but somewhat compressed, which gives it a characteristic JBL "plasticity".

Over time, many people note a deterioration in sound, a decrease in volume, but the reason is simple and lies in the contamination of the protective grilles of the drivers. If you remove them, the sound will "open up" again, however, without a guarantee.

To make the headphones less dusty and dirty, the manufacturer completes them with a cloth bag on a string. A trifle, but nice.

In general, it's not a pity to pay $ 20 for the JBL T205, especially if you are a fan of the brand, but personally we would prefer them Xiaomi Mi Half In-Ear for the same amount. In them, the sound is somehow more honest.